Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Burn these words!

Lake Superior State University has published its annual list of "banned" words and phrases. They include "awesome", "we're pregnant" and "undocumented alien." The first is an example of our increased inability to hang on to the subtlety of meaning and the latter two reflect the way in which the need to make a point overcomes accuracy. (If you don't believe this, ask yourself if "we" are still pregnant in the middle of labor.)

The list also bans Steve Colbert's notion of "truthiness" which, as used by its originator Steven Colbert, was just a shorthand for suggesting that people with whom one does not agree are stupid.

The school calls for an end t combined celebrity names like "Brangelina" and "Tomkat," a concept that KarRick heartily endorse.

I would have added "in harm's way", "jumped the shark" and the execrable "and I don't play one on TV."

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